WIRETAP HELPS FELL LARIMER COUNTY DRUG RING

A federal wiretap provided a multi-agency drug task force a peek into
a complex narcotics empire operating out of Larimer County.

Authorities say 1,647 of 2,220 local calls made during a 23-day
period last spring were about the sale and distribution of drugs,
including cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana.

"That gave us a real look at the drug trade," said Lt. Jim Broderick
of the Fort Collins Police Department and commander of the Larimer
County Drug Task Force.

The task force announced Thursday it had dismantled a significant
drug-distribution organization operating in Fort Collins, Loveland
and unincorporated Larimer County.

Customers included blue-collar workers and real estate agents, but
the focus of the investigation was the distributors, Broderick said.

The yearlong investigation, dubbed "America's Town," resulted in the
arrest of 49 suspects, including Benjamin Escobar-Ortega, 24, the
reputed kingpin. The Mexico native was living in Colorado.

Five arrests are pending, Broderick said.

The investigation led police to Longmont, Phoenix and Nebraska.
Officers discovered other drug rings they thought were unrelated, but
they eventually realized the operations were connected, Broderick
said.

The federal wiretap authorized in March provided the task force with
detailed information about drug trafficking. The arrests began in
April but were not announced until this week.

In addition to drug charges, some suspects have been charged with
weapons and immigration violations.

The task force included local city and county law enforcement, the
Drug Enforcement Administration and the Immigration and
Naturalization Service.